Let There Be Dragons (The Children of Ankh Book 3)

by Kim Cormack

  Kevin grinned as he sat down on the bed next to her and asked, “So, how’s life been going for you beautiful?”

  Kayn rolled her eyes and replied, “Just frigging wonderful. How’s yours?” She struggled with the chains once again before fully comprehending that her resistance to the restraints was futile. They were obviously created to restrain immortals. She knew of their existence but she’d never had the annoyance of being bound by them, until now. She thought he was grinning at her frustration. Then she realized what he was really smiling about. She must have flailed around until she lost her covers and she was only wearing underwear and a tank top. She flirtatiously smiled back at him. She was playing this situation all wrong. He’d forgotten to tie her legs. His eyes were darker, colder than they’d been the last time she’d looked into them. His expression amused, yet far from emotionless.

  She decided to go with the situation she’d found herself in and whispered, “You could have just called me on the phone instead of opting for this kinky medieval bondage game.”

  Kevin’s eyes flickered in response to her inappropriately timed flirtation. He chuckled, “Are you flirting with me Brighton? I thought you wanted to kill me? I guess it’s true what they say about the thin line between love and hate?”

  Kayn met his intrigued expression and stated, “Oh, I’m still going to kill you.”

  Kevin burst out laughing as he climbed on top of her, poised above her on all fours.

  Was he trying to intimidate or flirt with her? She wasn’t quite sure.

  He straddled her and tenderly stroked her cheek as he replied, “Not today. Today, I’m going to drag you out of here and chuck you in in the backseat of my car. Then, I’m going to drive you out to the desert and leave you stranded with the rest of your clan, while we steal that sweet little dark haired friend of yours. Of course, we’ll have to make it extremely difficult for you to catch up with us. I’m sure if our situations were reversed you’d do the same to me.”

  Kayn struggled as she clicked into what was really happening. Triad was taking Molly. She was supposed to protect her. She wrapped both of her free legs around his waist and squeezed with everything she had.

  He chuckled, “Hot as this moment is…” He sprayed a mist in her face. She coughed, her vision flickered and everything went black. Kayn awoke in the backseat of a car, to the sound of tires rumbling down a road. She was still restrained. Nobody was stupid. Kayn knew the drill, she kept her eyes closed, so she could listen to what they were talking about.

  Kevin’s voice spoke first, “She won’t be out for long. Did we manage to get all of them?”

  Stephanie’s voice responded, “We’re only missing Lexy and Grey.”

  Kevin chuckled, “Only…Lexy and Grey are missing. Well, that’s not good.” There was a brief pause in the conversation before he threw in, “That spray is great stuff. None of their symbols were triggered. They might not even know their friends are in trouble.”

  Kayn began feeling around for something to cut herself with but her options were limited because her hands were now bound behind her. She had to set off her symbol and alert the two that hadn’t been captured. She shoved her fingertips into the cushions of the bench seat she was laying on. She needed something sharp and there was always random crap shoved between the seats of cars.

  Kevin’s voice came from the front seat, “Kayn, I made damn good and sure there was nothing you could hurt yourself on back there.”

  Kayn smiled and countered, “Then, why didn’t you gag me?”

  Stephanie replied, “He’s a sentimental guy. He wanted to have a chance to visit with you, before we killed you.”

  Kayn scrolled through the escape options in her head. She had one clear way to signal her distress to Lexy and Grey. Although, it was a difficult one to wrap her mind around. She’d only get one chance at it and it had to be now. Self-inflicted cannibalism was never something anyone’s mind was prepared to wrap itself around. She glanced at the front seat to make sure their eyes were still on the road ahead before turning her head and biting into her own shoulder. At the point where her mind began screaming at her to stop, she knew, she’d have to be downright brutal to signal the cavalry. She fought against her own instincts as she tore a chunk of flesh out of the top of her arm by her shoulder and spat it onto the floor of the vehicle. With the taste of her blood in her mouth, Kayn said nothing as the blood flowed from her wound into the cushion. Her hand was warm but tied behind her, so the light from her symbol had been concealed. She laid there listening to their casual conversation while smiling to herself. They thought they’d covered their bases. They hadn’t.

  The car stopped and Stephanie got out of the passenger seat. She opened the back door, saw the blood and sighed, “We should have gagged her.”

  Kevin looked through the door, smirked and chuckled, “Creative Brighton, extremely damn creative.”

  It was stiflingly hot outside as they hauled her out of the backseat and into sand. The heat beneath her bare feet was a little more than uncomfortable. She saw where they were taking her. What in the hell? They were walking her up a ramp towards the back of a metal storage container. She’d roast in there. Kevin slid open the door, revealing a group of epically pissed off Ankh. They were all gagged, chained to the wall and literally roasting. She was totally in the right mental state to appreciate the genius of this messed-up situation. They needed to hold them somewhere long enough for Triad to get away with Molly. Torturous genius. She was grinning as Kevin attached her chains to the wall beside Frost. He probably thought he was being ironic. Her shoulder had already healed leaving no evidence of her backseat antics, besides the blood stain on her white tank top.

  Kevin gave her a genuine smile as he admitted, “I should have known better than to underestimate you. Unfortunately, your shenanigans in the car leave us no time for a proper goodbye.” He slipped the material off her shoulder, leaned over and kissed her freshly healed skin.

  She stiffened in response to the tenderness of his lips. The intimate act had brought her heart back to the moment during the Testing when she’d allowed him into the sleep chambers with her, against her better judgement. She also recalled the cruel words he’d spoken, presumably to work up the nerve to do what he’d been ordered to do and kill her. Kevin kept staring at her as though he wanted to say something more but couldn’t find the words. She’d slumped forward while being kept upright by the chains burning her wrists.

  He lovingly brushed her sweat dampened golden ringlets out of her face and whispered, “Sorry Kayn. This is going to be extremely unpleasant.”

  She coldly mumbled, “For you, when I get out of these.” Kayn struggled against the metal cuffs that bound her once more. Kevin cracked a grin and began to walk away. Then he paused, turned around, marched back towards her and passionately kissed her on the lips. Her lips parted as his left hers, partially out of shock but also because she’d felt the familiar pull of their connection. That telltale tug in her heart that she’d assumed was gone. He smirked as if to say, you still want me. Then he turned and strolled away without saying a word. He sure was ballsy now, she’d give him that. The sunlight disappeared as he closed the door to the swelteringly storage container.

  There was a moment of silence as she tried to decide what she should do. She heard tiny clicking footsteps on the roof of the storage container. It was probably buzzards. Those things had always creeped her out. They were always waiting for someone to die. Kayn struggled against the chains once more as sweat began trickling down her brow. It’s like a sauna in here. A droplet reached her upper lip and she licked off the salty perspiration. Perhaps, she could pick up someone’s thoughts? There was nothing. Shit.

  Kayn spoke aloud, “Lexy and Grey know we’re in trouble. I’m sure they’re already on their way.” She knew the others would be weak. They’d probably been in this sweltering heat for a while without water. The others were all gagged. She was aware that nobody could respond. The temperature inside t
he container was rising at an alarming rate with the door closed. The only thing worse than the heat of the sand was the heat of the damn metal storage container under her bare feet. Perspiration was now flowing, not trickling down her brow and into her eyes. Her throat was so dry. She couldn’t work up enough moisture to swallow. She was dizzy. Kayn struggled against her restraints as she heard the buzzard’s uncoordinated tap dancing on the top of the metal container. The others wouldn’t remain conscious for long if she was already in this state. How close was she to Frost? Could she touch him? If she could take his energy and double the amount of tension on the restraints? Perhaps she could break free. Kayn hollered to get their attention, “I might be able to get us out of here. I need you to try to touch the person next to you with some part of your body. Frost, lean towards me or stretch out one of your legs. These restraints are meant to bind one of us, but they won’t be able to hold back the energy from all of us.” She could hear them rustling around. They knew what she had planned and they were pissed off enough to withstand the pain. Kayn stretched her leg out and touched Frost’s. Her motor skills were already starting to succumb to the rising temperature. She required energy. Kayn closed her eyes and focused on the connection between Frost’s bare skin and her own. She shivered as heat coursed up her leg into her torso. Her chest tightened as the energy gathered there. She experienced euphoria, unlike anything she’d ever felt as the powers of each Ankh travelled through the connection they’d created. It coursed through her body until it felt like the energy was going to burst from her skin. She yanked her restraints off the wall. Then easily tore her wrists free and heaved open the locked storage container doors. Sunlight lit up the torture chamber. Death by sauna…pure genius. Kayn spun around and took in the disturbing visual of the slumped bodies dangling from the walls. If she’d killed them, it was only temporary. There was an insane amount of adrenaline coursing through her and she wanted to punch a hole through the metal wall. There was too much power. She’d taken too much. Kayn marched over to Frost and tore his chains from the wall. After freeing him from his restraints. He crumpled to the floor. As she heard something sizzling, she peered down at Frost. His cheek was cooking on the metal floor. It was hilarious. Why? She had no bloody idea. She continued down the line to Lily, Zach and then to Melody. They were all making sizzling sounds on the floor. She giggled as she made her way to Haley and Astrid. She became sidetracked by an ominous painting on the wall.

  Kayn reached up to touch it.

  Melody’s voice gasped, “Don’t touch that.”

  Healers never stay down for long.

  “What is that hissing sound? Do you hear that?” Melody asked as she got up and noticed that it was cooking flesh. “They’re cooking from the heat of the metal floor! We have to get them out of here!”

  Kayn far too casually said, “Does it really matter. I had to use their energy to break the chains. It’s just their shells. I planned to refill them once I got them all down.”

  “Yes, it matters,” Mel scolded.

  They began towing their roasted friends down the ramp, depositing each one in the sand at the bottom before going back for the next. Once her fellow Ankh were all off the grill. They stood there gazing out at the healing job ahead of them.

  Melody glanced at her and questioned, “So, right now it’s safe to say that you’re rolling on the energy from all of us?”

  Kayn nodded still reeling from the euphoria of the energy. It was frigging magical.

  “Can you give the energy back by healing them?” Melody walked down the ramp and began to feel pulse points. She looked up at her and announced, “They’re all still alive!”

  Whoops, perhaps she shouldn’t have left them sizzling on the floor. She’d assumed she’d killed them. Kayn wandered back in and retrieved the chains from the floor. Where did Triad get these chains? They’d rendered them all helpless. The symbols looked familiar. Had she seen them somewhere before?

  Melody cleared her throat and said, “Earth to Kayn.”

  Kayn snapped back to reality as she strolled down the ramp towards her slightly perturbed friend.

  Melody accused, “You’re obviously on another channel still. I’ll heal them and then you heal me. Can you do that?”

  She was gloriously gapped out. Kayn touched her finger tips together and then pulled them apart and a glowing orb appeared. It was mesmerizing. She’d almost forgotten she could do this. Melody was still talking to her. She glanced at her friend and asked, “Did you just say something?”

  Melody’s eyes were wide as she ordered her to stop messing around and put her hands in the sand.

  She was not a child!

  “If you put your hands in the sand, maybe it will stop the buildup of energy? I’m going to need you to heal me once I’m finished healing everyone else.”

  Once Melody had reworded her prior order as more of a suggestion it became more appealing. Why not? Kayn knelt, placed her hands in the sand and the granules began to glow with a creepy yellow hue that expanded in a circle around her until it reached her fallen Ankh. Their burns healed. They all opened their eyes while gasping for air. Well, that was extremely cool.

  Melody lips were parted in awe at what Kayn had just done. She’d healed them all in seconds. She whispered, “Now that was amazing,” as she reached for Zach’s hand and helped him to his feet.

  Her sanity began to return once she’d released the excessive amount of energy she’d taken from the others.

  Zach began to dig around in his pockets. He held his phone up in the air and cheered, “Yes! My phones still here!”

  Why hadn’t they taken his phone?

  Astrid dug the phone out of her pocket and declared, “Mines dead but I have mine too!” Astrid opened up the back of her cell and laughed, “I thought we got off to easy. They took the batteries.”

  Zach opened the back of his phone and chuckled, “There’s no battery in mine either. Hey, look in the sand. Maybe they just chucked them.”

  They searched around for the batteries in the sand and they were nowhere to be found. Kayn was standing in the tiny amount of shade created by the side of the storage container. Zach noticed her barefeet and asked, “Do you want my socks or my shirt?”

  Kayn smiled at him, knowing he’d probably give them to her. She replied, “I can heal myself from a sunburn and you can’t. I’m sure they’ll be here soon. I have clothes back at the motel.”

  Zach shook his head and teased, “My grandparents were from Mexico, my half naked freckle faced friend. When have you ever seen me with a bad sunburn?” He bent down and looked underneath the storage container.

  Kayn got down on all fours and copied his actions. She questioned, “What exactly are you looking for?”

  He accidentally bumped into her with his shoulder and she toppled over on her side in the sand. Zach grabbed her arm, helped her up and apologized, “I didn’t mean to do that. I was just wondering if this would work for shade but the metal is too hot.” He sat up in the sparse amount of shade and said, “How are you doing? With the whole Kevin leaving you to die in the desert thing?”

  She sat beside him and drew a picture in the sand with one of her fingers as she answered, “Well, that’s how it has to be now. I’m sure someday I’ll be the one that leaves him somewhere to die.”

  Zach didn’t keep the conversation going. He just sat there watching her playing with the sand. Sometimes talking isn’t necessary. She raked her fingers through the sand full of tiny pebbles. Then grabbed a handful and strained it through her fingers leaving nothing but a handful of rocks in her palm. She’d survived her first official run in with Kevin. He’d kidnapped her in her underwear and left her chained up in the desert. She grinned and dropped her handful of pebbles. It’s a good thing she found damn near everything funny right now. Where were Lexy and Grey? Kayn stood up and offered a hand to Zach. She tugged him to his feet, noting that she was still quite a bit stronger than usual. They wandered over to the others, just as they
all noticed the cloud of sand rising in the distance. Kayn knew who it was even before she could see them clearly. It was Grey and Lexy. As they came into view, there was someone in the back. Holy crap. They have Molly. They all began to laugh as they sprinted towards the approaching vehicle.

  Frost leaned into the window and chuckled, “I have to know how this happened.”

  Grey grinned as he began to explain, “We were on our way back to the motel and Triad drove by with Molly. We hung back and followed the car, instead of trying to find you guys. We ran them off the road, killed them and stole her back. We saw the dust from a second car and thought, maybe that was the other vehicle Triad was using. It was and here we are.”

  Lily raked her fingers through her hair and opened the car door and asked, “Where did you find this beater and how does it still run?”

  Grey passed her a bottle of water as he replied, “Let’s just say our options were limited. We should get out of here. They’ll be back soon and they’ll be seriously pissed off.”

  As Frost got into the backseat of the sketchy looking vehicle, Lexy glanced back at him and prodded, “How in the hell did they capture all of you?” She passed him a bottle of water.

  He shrugged, twisted off the lid as he replied, “I came to, sweating to death and chained to the wall in the back of that sweltering storage container. I have no bloody idea how it happened.” He chugged the entire bottle of water and then began passing the bottles of water to everyone else.

  Melody piped in, “We all woke up in there like that, except for Kayn.” She passed a bottle of water to Kayn.

  Kayn twisted off the lid and downed the entire bottle. She’d needed that. Kayn peered up from her empty water bottle, wishing she had ten more. Lexy was staring at her. She was probably wondering how they’d taken her without a fight. Kayn started to explain, “I went to sleep early and when I woke up my hands were chained. Kevin was in my room and he used this spray chloroform on me. I came to in the backseat of his car. Stephanie said he left me ungagged because he wanted to talk to me. They were talking and I overheard Stephanie say that they hadn’t found Grey or Lexy. So, I bit a chunk out of my shoulder to signal you guys. Then they brought me to that stiflingly hot storage container and chained me to the wall with everyone else.”